A Saskatchewan farmers advocacy group disputes the perception that the province’s wetlands are threatened by the draining practices of agriculture.
Farmers understand. We have a 90-day growing season and when opportunity presents itself, we take time to enjoy summer and head to the lake with friends and family.
Water quality is important. So is soil health, resilient food production, supporting our local communities and doing our job better, every single day.
1. Drainage is a not bad word.
Every homeowner is responsible for drainage management. Eavestroughs are surface drainage channels, collecting rain from the roof and directing it away from the home’s foundation. Weeping tile is subsurface (or tile) drainage, keeping basements from transitioning into private swimming pools.
Streets channel rainwater into storm sewers and direct it to appropriate outlets to prevent our communities from overland flooding. It is important to manage water.
Drainage management is a critical business risk tool for Saskatchewan producers. There are two ways a farmer can mitigate weather: water management (proactive) and crop insurance (reactive).
There are many efficiencies to be gained from proper drainage management — economic, agronomic and environmental. If you want to know more, come for a field tour, anytime.
2. There is a difference between “wet land” and “wetlands.”
Wet lands. The Saskatchewan landscape is defined as the prairie pothole region. Potholes are not favourable on roadways, nor are they favourable within gardens or fields. These potholes or depressions are often farmed through as the water is temporary, only lasting for one day to three weeks.
When potholes are unmanaged in an area that is used to grow food, they will collect water that will stress or kill plants, create salinity issues, and not support proper uptake of plant nutrients or best management practices.
This excess water will now also fill and spill, causing overland flooding during extreme events. These “wet lands” are best when managed via controlled surface or tile drainage.
Wetlands. These are the semi-permanent and permanent water bodies within the field boundaries that function as stable ecosystems. They provide habitat, storage capacity and water retention benefits such as nutrient filtration. These areas are also best when managed.
Think of it as a bathtub with an overflow valve. If they fill and spill, it creates nutrient washouts and overland flooding. During a wet cycle, there comes a point in time when full wetlands do not provide any flood control.
Eighty-six per cent of wetlands remain intact in this province (by volume, including farmed through potholes) — true. If you have better science than the Water Security Agency has provided, please be transparent and let’s see your numbers.
Seventy-two per cent of wetlands remain intact (by volume, not including farmed through potholes) — true. Some are saying the new wetland policy will promote drainage of 79 per cent of wetlands (up to 2 million acres of wetlands). Not sure where this number comes from, but we can prove this is not the case.
Wet land and wetlands will always be a part of the Saskatchewan landscape, it is not flat. Even on a fully managed (drained) field, in years like 2024, we will have wet land. Years like 2023, we will have no wet land.
Mother nature decides.
Be curious to learn more about the other side of the story. We have invited many individuals to join us in the field for water management tours. Some have accepted, some have declined.
Collaboration is required to reduce complexity, find common ground and implement practical and sustainable solutions.
We can all do better. Innovative and responsible water management will support soil health, resilient crop production, healthy working landscapes … and time at the lake.
Candace Mitschke is the executive director of the Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Association, a group of landowners dedicated to ensuring that farmers’ viewpoints are considered on managing land and water resources.
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